Signal



uw. 1,1925. 1,564,130 J.; L. IDRCJHEN SIGNAL 'Filed June 13. 1924 3Sheets-Sheet?. 1

ATTORNEY J. L. DROMEN SIGNAL Dec. 1, 19525- Filed June 13. 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY J. L.. 'DROMEN SIGNAL Dec. 1, 1925'- Filad Jun@13, 1924 3 Sheds-Sheet 5 @Ell ATTORNEY 'useful improvements in Signals,

lfromthe control pedal."A

Patented l, 1925.V

JAMES L. Dnorrnn, ennuis-Kinn; NEW YORK.` *f

- .i SIGNAL.;`

Application i'ed June v.13,"1924," l ,Serial` 719,386f.: l l A/loaZw/lom-Hzayro'nce'rn l d d Beit knownthat I, lninnslil DRoHnNfacitizen of the United titates,.res1dmg at State of New Yorlnhaveinvented new and Vor' `Which the following isa specificationlf `r l Thisinvention `relates to-` direction signals for vehicles. d j

In carrying out the invention lit ,ismy

vpurpose toA mount a signal on the topjo ,a "Yehicle 1n .amoreor lessconspicuous position, whereit will attract theattention of drifers ofother Vehicles, thesignal. loeing,"-

mounted `for partial rotation, adapted to `loe .moved ironia. normalstraightv away position either. to the rightor to the lefttoinfdicatethe course` `to he pursued by. the iehicle, "and 4also capableof being quickly oscillated to indicate `when the'` Vehicle is about tostop.

One of the chief characteristics oi this invention resides in theprovision of a sim-ple construction of means for controlling the signalfrom the drlversseatpwhioh means includes amongst other features "apairy 'or ootoperated pedals capable of independent movement, depending.upon the'direction injwhicli itis desired to. shifttlie sig- "nal, thepedals being Varranged in closeprox imity so that'the same foot ofthedriyenis used tooperateeither of the pedals;

`Another object vof the invention.` resides in arranging` thesigna'lfoperatingl pedals. immediately beneath one of the control pedalsof the vehicle, so thatthe heel of the operatorcan he used to actuatekeither of the signal pedals without removing` his foot A furtherolofect` of the invention resides in the use et a signal inthe`i`iorni`foit [an arrow proj ecting forwardlyfronfn4 lamp casing, 'sothatthe arrow can be properly illuminated at night time, the casingbeing equipped with a lens at the rear endthereof lso that the signalcan alsohereadily seen whenL in its vnormal straight `away position."I'further contemplate tlieuse of an audible-signal inA conjunction withonevof theV root operated pedals, which signal is sounded whenthe`pz'nticula'r pedal is depressed,

`so that the operator `will beproperly'nr `formed which of the twopedals isused whenfit is necessary'tooperate the signah The nature andadvantagesof thejinyention will he "lowinno` yd d d "nectionywithDunkirk, in;` the county oit Chautauqua :and

ranged thereon.

"portion Aof the signal operating` means show- `Yoperating,`nieansfshown in igure 2.

pedal.

j`petl`va`lslff1`l l 1 )Figurelfis a View talen lat a right angleJdescription is read in con- I y y the accompanying'drawings,theliniention residingin the "construction, combination-and arrangementof parts es:

cilalneth l. lnfthedrawings forming part of this ap- Irilication, likenumerals of referencelindicatefsimilar .parts in the 'Aseyeral'yiews andWhlslir f f f f F igure 1f is affragmentary side elevation lofyeliicl'en body' showing the p invention arf Figure 2 isan'enlargedldetail View of Ia betten Aunderstood liiifhen the tot :i

ingA how the Signat Aoperated pedals ,arev arrangedy with relation tothe `control pedal of.

" Fignref Viewtakenfonflinelf,of

lfigure 2 lookingin the direction of `an ar row'. i

Figure '4 Iis fa ,View taken on A,line 4&4 of` Figure *5 is a planvie`'(iiflthatlpart ofthe Figure fis"y a y vertical sectional View throughthefsignal and L a portion of the is mountedfthereon. d l

Figure Z isa sectional View takenon line top ofthe 4yehicle"sliowingiliow the signal .-747 or Figure c.V

Figure Sis avjbdottom View ofthe toothed segment.- r f F igure @9 'is4 aksectional rviel I "througlrithe signalproper.` d y e Figure `10;,is adetail View of o1`1e" of the signalf operated pedals.

1 Figure" l1 's a similar View ofthe other `Figure 12 is a liragmentarydetail View 4oit the bell lcrank leverand its'connection between the"signal andf the `foot operated Refcrringto the ydrawings in" ,detailQA'indicates generally the body of amotor operted 'vehicle, `wherein thetop `thereof is indicated at l0.,` Il represents vthe" shanky of one oftheicontrol pedals of; the `vehicle herein indicated yat" l2. Theysignal above referred to may rbeof any construction Vfound suitalolerv`for :the purpose intended, butI preierahljmakeuseofa signal including alamp casing lyclose'd at itsopposite ends llO eted or otherwise suitablysecured together at 18 iin'face'tofacefcontact;y The remainii'igonpointed e'i'itr'eii'iities'of the' arrows are flarefd jo'utu aifdly asVat` 19 "as clearly 4short-n in" Figure 9, so that! these ,portions liein the path of theliglit' rays'emittedfioni the lamp casing and therebyproperly ill'uininat ed at 'night time. The' lamp 4casing receives a'bulb xirliich is 'supportedon a tubu- 'lar 'member '21 "Which" projects4Within the lamp casing, the lower, portion of this tubu- Yltai memberrece'ivingthe -adjjacent end` of a 'hollow' shaft Y22to irhich itisjsecured by suitable fastening eleinents`23. This shaft is journaled'in an openingV` in' the top "10 of the vehicle' as clearly shown inFigure, =a portion of the 'sliafft'projeetifng abovethe' top ofl theVehicle and connected ivitli ythe tubu- `lai' member 21 as described. yprovide'a'iveathei' pr0of;joint"between these Iny order to parts, I makeruse of a gasket 24`iifliich suri'ouiids the-shaft22 and reposes uponthe top 1() ofthe vehiclejto which it is secured-by suitable fasteningelements 25.V Thisgasket is then covered Iby anl annular "flange, 26which forms an integral partzofl the shaft 22, a-iid which flange" hasitsfou/ter edge turned gasket 24. y'It is" to be boriiin iii-ind.thatthe shaft 22 together With'thesignal as a Whole is mounted forrotation .Y in the fopeninrg formed in the -top 10, and 'that the signalnormally occupies a straightaway posi-tion.

But, the signal is capable of being Vswung to either the right or to theleftftoyindicate the course `to bepursued by fthe Vehicle, or 'capableof'being quickly oscillated toV indicate to others that thev vehicleis-1" about' to stop, and the n'iechanism for controlling `the movementsof thissignal WillobcV presently described. This mechanism includes ablock 2S whichissecured in any. suitable manner tothe control pedal 12ofA the Vehicle. Passed longitudinally through fr this block l29 and isarranged to'` bearv against one'end of the block, While the shank 30 of.said elenient projects aii'fappreciable Vdistance beyond the other endVof said blockfand from Which'end is suspended thezshanks 31 of .the

\ foot operatedpedals 32 and l33 respectively. -It Will-be noted from aninspectionvof Figurer-3 that thesenpedals arey arranged yside vby sideand in snc-li closefproximity,.that-the saine foot of the operator canbe used for actuating either pedal, it being inanifest that'whenthepedal .32 is depressed, the sig nal avillbe Ashifted 'to the-right,and that vwhen the pedal 33 is actuated the signal will '.bevshiftedl tothe left.

It Will be further noted that the shank of the pedal 32 is olfls'et soas not to interfere With thev operation of the other pedal and shank. Ifdesired Leit-her* pedal can be adjusted on its shank, by simply turningthe. pin 34 which supportsthe pedal, which pin is tl-ireade'd'.v'iito'fits"respective shank, and held in a given lposition'by meansof a lockliiut 35, which construction is illustrated in Figures'l'() and11. y"The 'shank of' the 'pedal 32 isloosely mounted upon' the shank 30of theelement ypass-ed through vthe block '28, While'the shank of 'thepedall'33-is 'keyed oi' otherwise liked tothe shank 30 as at 3G.Consequently either of"t`liev1`)edalsv can' be'oper'ate'd inde-;penldei'itly' of the other, so that 4'the signal Ican f be v'shifted inthev proper Adirection` toI indicate'to 'others'which course the Vehicleis abouttoi'pursue.

'Projecting from` the lower extremitiesl of the sliaiiksVv 31 arelinksT37 andV 38, both of which are supportedfrom, pins projecting at a rightangle fromsaid extremities, the link 37 "being connected withy the shankofthe pedal 32, While theA link' 38 is connected with the shank of thepedal 33. y:These links are arranged inl'divei'gent Irelation :as showni in Frigi'irelQn and are'termina'lly connected With a disk .39lfatdiametrically.opposite ipoints,

' the 'link-A 37 being connectedl at a point adj acent the -top off thedisk, while ythe llink -38 is y connected at agpoi'ntadj acent thebottom of A the disk. :The disk.39is pivoted 'as-.at-40ona 'bracket'4,1,c the body vvportion of which rises `fro/ina. a. suitable base 42.which yis-'secuiedy t0 the floor board ofthe Vehicle. VConnected tothis disk .adjacent the fpeiipheryf tlie-reof is a Ivertically Vdisposedrod 43 the lupper end-of wwvhifchfisconnected-as fit/44 to. a bell crankf leverff45, which is pivotedon .the lbody. of the yeliicleas at -`V46.Conne'cted with. the` other :extremity-of Ithisbell ycrank lever ahorizo'ntally disposed rod-'1 47 which `isarran'ged directlyfbeneath thetop lOrof they vehicle as shown. infFigure .1,1 and is mounted for-reciprocatory 1vmovement through ar suitable .'guide'48- -The other endof thisiod47 'is u vconnectedwith a toothedsegment-49,f-the and mount-edfor rotation thereiiiisa headed i' element, the head of whichisin'dicated at liubbl'of--which is secured in any suitable teeth ofwhich mesh-Witli a sniallggear I5(),the

manner as at 52 to the hollowshaft 22 above referred-to. The toothedsegment'49 v-is piv- `otedon a suitable bracket 52 which is securedtoone side ofY the -vehi'cle 'body as at f53, thegpi-votforsaidsegnient1beingfindi- .catedvatflf and passed through afslot` in:said bracket, which permitsfof a slightadiio between theseparts. A nut56is threaded on the pivot pin 54 and cooperates with the headofthe `pinto supportthe latter `in'its position on `the 'bracket The' segment isheld in its normal position,` and returned to normal position" aftereach operation, by means of" a spring inof the toothedsegment as clearlyshown in Figure 6, and which spring further includes crossed limbs 5Sclearly shown in Figure 8. These limbs terminate to providesubstantially parallel portions which are arranged at opposite sides ofthe pins 59 and 60 re spectively, the former being stationary andsupported by the bracket 52, while the latter depends from the toothedsegment 49 and is consequently movable therewith, Manifestly when thesegment is moved in either direction, the pin 60 flexes one or the otherof the limbs 58 of said spring, thereby tensioning the latter lso thatwhen the foot is removed from the operating` pedal the spring functionsto return the segment as well as the signal to its normal position.Carried by the opposite sides of the segment are adjustable stop pins 6lwhich are arranged to contact the sides of the bracket 52 to limit themovement of the segment in either direction. Similar stop pins 62 arealso carried by the disk 39, and cooperate with the body portion 4l ofthe bracket to limit the turning movement of this disk in eitherdirection.

It will be noted upon inspection of Figures 6 and 7 that I have providedan adjustable connection between the horizontally disposed rod 47 andthe segment 49, which con nection preferably consists of providing thesegment with an arcuate shaped slot 63 to receive the downturnedextremity 64 of the rod 47. This downturned extremity also passesthrough an opening formed in a link 65 which is secured to the segmentat its opposite end by means of a fastening element 66. Manifestly thelink can be loosened at 66 and shifted to position the downturnedextremity 64 of said rod in different positions within the slot 63, tovary the leverage or throw of the segment as may be desired, After thedownturned extremity 64 has been properly positioned within the slot 63the link 65 is secured and held fixed relatively to the segment by meansof the fastening element 66. Y

Disposed in juxtaposition with t-he disk 39 is an audible signal in thenature of a bell indicated at 67 and inclu-ding the usual manipulatingelement 68 which is diposed in the path of movement of the pin 69 whichprovides the connection between the shank of the pedal 32 and the link37 above referred to. By reason of this arrangement, it will be observedthat when the pedal 32 is depressed to turn the signal to the right, themanipulating element 68 of said bell .willbe actuated to soundfthelatter thus 'informing the fdriver that he has `depressed the particularypedal 3;# `The signal is ynot sounded when the pedal 33 depressed, fso

thaltjby use of the signal the operator can `readily and quicklydetermine whichlpedal Y "he has depressed'witlioutlooking down at`cluding a coil 57 which `surrounds the hub the pedals, andthus allowinghim to keep his eyes to the *front at all times for the proper guidanceof the vehicle.

In practice, the signal normally occupies the position shown in Figurel, with the arrows pointing straight ahead; Now, if the drivercontempla-tes turning to the right at the next street intersection, itis only necessary to depress the pedal 32 which turns the disk 39 in aclockwise direction, thereby liftinglthe rod 43, which turns the bellcrank lever 45 to move the rod 47 rearwardly under the top of thevehicle. The

tooth segment is simultaneously shifted in the same direction, and asthis segment meshes with the gear 50 the latter together with the signalis turned to the right. During this operation one of the limbs 58 of thespring associated with the segment is placed under tension, so that whenthe pedal 32 is released the segment together with the signal and othermovable parts areautomatically returned to their normal position.Conversely when the pedal 33 is depressed the rod 43 is moveddownwardly, thereby sliding the rod 47 in a forward direction, andreversing the movement of the segment 49 with a result that the signalis shifted to the left. If it is desired to oscillate the signal toindicate to others that the driver is about to stop the vehicle, it isonly necessary to work one of the pedals up and down with a quickmotion.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to haveit understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown anddescribed, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fallwithin the scope of what is claimed.

lVhat I claim is: v

l. A signal operating mechanism including a gear associated with thesignal, a toothed pivoted segment meshing with said gear, a sliding' rodterminally connected with said segment and operable to control themovements of said signal, apair of foot opera-ted pedals adapted to besingly actuated, a connection between sai-d pedals and segment,resilient means for automatically retaining said segment and signal totheir normal positions when the operating pedal is released, and anadjustable connection between said rod and segment, whereby the throw ofsaid pedal can be varied.

2. A signal operating mechanismv including a gear associated with thesignal, a

toothed-pvoted segment meshing with said gear, a4 pairl vof f fontoperated pedalsL adapted =.to be singly actuated, a rotatable disk, lmksvprojecting from sadfpedalsfand connected kwith Said disk lat'dametrcally opposite y n ,mantlandslgnakto'than' Vnormal posltlons 16ypoints whereby said disk @aube rotated in oneoi the otherdufectlomaneans con-neet ying sald d1sk Wlththeslgnal and lncludlug.f-,a bellcrank lever, rods .connected with safd "leverf'and arrangedin:rightangular-relal0 .,tion, 4an -adj ustable connection betwe'en one-,of said Izodsv; andsaid segment, whereby the :thromy 0i' vsaid pedalscan -be wjpared, .and

means; for autom'aticallyy return-,ing .said segw-hen .t-he.ope1'ati1ggi pedal s ,released In* test1 molly whereof VI affix gmy Aslgnature.

- ,.JAMESL. DROHEN.

